What does this redaction tool do?
Use this browser-based tool to permanently redact one .pdf document at a time. Choose Draw region, Select text, Find matches, or Redact entire page. Each target goes into a review queue before it can be applied.
Choose a redaction method
Use Draw region for a custom area. Use Select text to mark text that the selection touches. Use Find matches to search the document with a literal, case-insensitive text match.
Select text and Find matches need extractable PDF text. Scanned or image-only pages may produce no target with these controls. Use Draw region or Redact entire page when a page has no usable text layer.
Review targets before applying
New targets start unconfirmed. Review the target list and remove anything you do not want. Use Confirm all when the list is correct, or Clear all to remove the current targets. The apply control stays disabled until every target is confirmed. Nothing is removed during selection or review.
What happens when redaction is applied?
Select Review and confirm redaction, then continue through the irreversible-action prompt. The tool rebuilds each affected page as an image and paints the redacted areas black. It replaces the original page object, including its text and vector content.
Pages without targets keep their existing text and vector content. Affected pages lose text selection by design. The result is not an overlay placed over recoverable content.
Optional metadata and annotation removal
The checkbox Also remove document metadata (title, author, producer, XMP) and hidden/leftover annotations across the whole document is off by default. When enabled, it clears the standard Info fields for title, author, subject, keywords, creator, and producer. It also removes the embedded XMP metadata stream and annotations across the whole document.
Creation and modification dates are set to the Unix epoch; they are not removed. The Info dictionary itself is not deleted. Verification checks selected standard Info fields, XMP presence, and document-wide annotations, but it does not check the dates.
Verification report and downloads
After redaction, the tool reopens the generated PDF and runs mechanical checks. These include extractable text on redacted pages, searched terms, annotations, and the optional metadata and XMP checks. The report shows pass or fail details.
Review the redacted PDF and report yourself. The checks do not guarantee legal or regulatory sufficiency. Use Download redacted PDF for the result and Download report for the plain-text report.
How to redact a PDF
- Drop a PDF into the tool, or click browse file. The tool accepts one
.pdfdocument at a time. - Choose Draw region, Select text, Find matches, or Redact entire page to add targets.
- Review the target list. Confirm each target, use Confirm all, or use Clear all to start over.
- Optionally enable Also remove document metadata (title, author, producer, XMP) and hidden/leftover annotations across the whole document.
- Click Apply permanent redaction and confirm the prompt.
- Review the verification report. Then click Download redacted PDF and, if needed, Download report.
Privacy & limits
The PDF is read, rendered, rebuilt, and verified in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server. The tool accepts only PDF input, one document at a time, and enforces a maximum of 1,000 pages.
Non-PDF input or an unreadable PDF produces an error. Find matches reports an error when there are no matches. Scanned or image-only pages may not have extractable text, so use Draw region or Redact entire page instead. Rasterizing affected pages can increase file size and removes their text layer.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a reversible highlight tool?
No. Once you apply redaction, affected pages are rebuilt from a flattened image. Their original page objects, including underlying text and vector content, are replaced. There is no overlay over recoverable content and no undo after applying.
Does this tool guarantee legal sufficiency?
No. It performs mechanical redaction and automated checks, but it does not know your legal, regulatory, or organizational requirements. Review the report and resulting PDF before relying on them for compliance or disclosure.
Why do I have to confirm every target before applying?
Redaction is irreversible. Confirmation gives you a final chance to catch a mis-drawn region or an unintended search match before it is removed.
What does the metadata and annotation setting do?
It is an opt-in setting that clears the standard title, author, subject, keywords, creator, and producer fields, removes embedded XMP metadata, and deletes annotations across the document. Creation and modification dates are reset to the Unix epoch.
Does it upload my PDF anywhere?
No. The file is read, rendered, redacted, and rebuilt in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.